Before choosing a grass for your lawn, it’s best if you spend some time understanding your wants, needs, and surroundings.  It’s best to choose a grass that will require the right amount of work versus one that will require more than you bargained for.  With that being said, there are basically three types of grasses that you can choose from…

• Cool Season Grasses
• Warm Season Grasses
• Native Grasses

Cool Season Grasses Cool Season Grasses perform their best in the north and in higher elevations in the south.  They stand up to cooler springs and falls, but don’t perform as well during the hot summer months.  Their main growth period is in the spring and fall when the temperature falls between 60 and 70 degrees.  Some of the more common Cool Season Grasses include…

• Kentucky Bluegrass
• Tall Fescue
• Fine Fescue
• Perennial Ryegrass

Warm Season Grasses Warm Season Grasses perform their best in the southern regions.  These types of grasses are happiest in the hot summer months and have a tendency not to do as well when temperatures begin to dip.  Main growth period corresponds with the increased heat of summer when the temperature ranges between 80 and 95 degrees.  Some of the more common Warm Season Grasses include…

• St. Augustine
• Bermuda
• Zoysia
• Centipede
• Bahia
• Carpet Grass

Native Grasses Native grasses are more of a survivor type of grass and not necessarily meant for planting in a yard.  They require very little maintenance and provide a grass cover that is more open and natural in appearance than traditional turfgrasses.  These types of grasses grow best during hot summer months and are best suited for the grasslands of the Central Plains.  Some of the more common Native Grasses include…

• Buffalo Grass
• Blue Grama
• Crested Wheat Grass

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